Passenger plane abandoned because of faults takes off for the first time in 10 years
- This abandoned Il-96-300 aircraft tries to make it off the ground
- The passenger plane was constructed in 1992
- However, it takes a couple of attempts to make it into the air
Published on Nov 16, 2024 at 6:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Nov 11, 2024 at 4:40 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Like the ‘little plane who could’, you’ll be rooting for this abandoned Il-96-300 aircraft as it tries to make it off the ground.
It was one of the first Il-96-300 aircraft ever built and constructed in 1992.
It made its final flight with passengers in 2008
However, it’s been parked up since because of various faults – until now, that is.
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The abandoned passenger plane
Left grounded at Moscow Domodedovo airport in Russia, it sat alongside other passenger aircraft that had found themselves out of work for 10 years.
Then it was cleaned up and flown to Zhukovsky.
According to the OKandrew Planespotting YouTube channel – that’s where it has stayed until recently when this footage was captured.

Meanwhile, this abandoned European airport still has planes waiting for takeoff sitting on the runway.
Back to the Il-96-300, the Russian four-engined jet long-haul wide-body airliner was designed by Russian aircraft manufacturer, Ilyushin.
It is powered by four high-bypass Aviadvigatel PS-90 two-shaft turbofan engines.
The takeoff

The passenger plane doesn’t leave the ground on the first attempt, simply speeding up before the engines can be heard dying down again.
However, on the second go it manages to head skyward.
While the landing gear isn’t retracted – the plane manages to climb.
As reported by Simple Flying: “Flying with the gear down burns a significant amount of fuel and reduces the aircraft’s potential speed.

“This is due to the combined factors of decreased aerodynamics and a reduced cruising altitude.
“Flying with the gear locked down is also rough on passengers and crew due to increased noise and vibrations.”
For more nailbiting takeoffs, this Monarch A320 crosswind takeoff is a video you won’t be able to take your eyes off.
Far more dramatic than a passenger plane, meanwhile, this F-16 fighter jet afterburner takeoff is a display of power like nothing you’ve ever seen.

All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”